


Kingdom Hearts: From Ashes Arisen

by orangequest



Series: FFNet Rewrites [1]
Category: Kingdom Hearts
Genre: Adventure, Post-Canon, Pre- Kingdom Hearts III
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-11-10
Updated: 2016-11-19
Packaged: 2018-08-30 05:42:27
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 4,531
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8520664
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orangequest/pseuds/orangequest
Summary: Xehanort is one of, if not the greatest threat to the Realm of Light. With each passing day, his power grows, and the ragtag team of rookie wielders and "heroes" is no longer enough to match him.If the Light is to have any hope of success in the coming battle, our heroes must seek out their predecessors and complete the Seven.





	1. Training

**Author's Note:**

> FORMERLY: NO SECRETS NO LIES @ FF.NET
> 
> The original fic was an ambitious mess, with a very disorganized plot. It had a final word count of 65,000+ not including the unpublished chapters. I have a soft spot for it, so I'm rewriting it with hopes that I've improved!

The first few nights beneath the starry sky surrounding Master Yen Sid’s tower were, as cliche as it sounds, magical. Kairi was so happy to be training under Mickey and the old wizard; the idea that she would one day be as capable as Sora and Riku was more than she dreamed of. Since they were children, her role had been little more than the damsel-in-distress, always needing to be rescued from the forces of darkness--and when she herself didn’t need saving, she had no role at all. Finding out she was to be one of the seven guardians of light gave her a new, even better part to play; the role of the hero.

Then she learned the results of the Mark of Mastery exam, Sora having failed, and Riku now dubbed Master Riku.

The atmosphere was tense, to say the least.

Riku took up the task of showing her the basics, though he always seemed distracted, bothered, during their sessions. She knew it was about Sora, and the results of the exam. Maybe Riku felt guilty for always “being better than him at everything.” Maybe he thought Sora deserved it more. Kairi could only speculate, because the boys hadn’t told her anything, even though she knew there was more to it than the fact that Sora failed the exam.

“He’s late again…” her friend murmured, his wintry green eyes drifting towards the Tower.

“He probably overslept! You know how he is,” Kairi offered, joining him in looking up at the lone spire where they all resided now. “C’mon. It doesn’t take two to teach me to blitz attack!”

Riku looked at Kairi, who already had Destiny’s Embrace at her side, and opened his mouth to protest. The words never came, though. She was right. He couldn’t let his unfounded concerns interfere with her training. “Fine. You got me." 

When Lea returned to the Tower, Sora joined him and Kairi in their training, though he had clearly lost his confidence. One day, he swung almost blindly, his technique sloppy and without form. The next, he was stiff, his form and technique exact to the letter, but unsuccessful in blocking or landing any hits. Two weeks after Kairi arrived at the tower, Sora stopped coming to training altogether.

Lea spun his keyblade and let it fly towards the other redhead, who swiftly blocked it, both hands wrapped tightly around the grip of Destiny’s Embrace. Her feet were apart and planted firmly on the ground, where the armored tips of her shoes would point straight ahead. He could tell Kairi spent her free time studying any and all of Yen Sid’s technical books, hoping to reach and rival Sora and Riku’s skill.

His blade spun back towards him and he, for the first time in training, was able to catch it as well as a chakram. It boosted his confidence, but his opponent wasn’t intent on letting him bask in the glory of success. She rushed him, swinging from the right.  He blocked from the left, but she relaxed her arms so that he wound up spending more energy. Again and again, she tried to hit him with soft swings, ones that were softer than his blocks. Sometimes she would leave him an opening to hit her, and she weathered a few of them. It seemed her plan was less about finding an opening than wearing him out.

Lea was about to signal a timeout, but his attention drifted when he heard the door to the tower open and shut, Sora being the person to exit. His training partner saw his distraction as her desired opportunity and her keyblade collided with his outstretched arm, a sickening crack echoing through their practice area. Even the brunet at the door, who wasn’t much for reactions nowadays, cringed at the sound.

The tallest of the three was used to these types of accidents by now, though. Unlike the others, he still had to work on getting his blade to appear and disappear by whim.

He had hoped his inexperience might make Sora feel better about his position, but so far, he didn’t seem any perkier for any of Lea’s broken limbs.

Kairi was ecstatic about them, and would rush to practice elementary healing on his various fractures and wounds; sometimes it seemed she let him get hurt on purpose just to improve her skill as a medic. Even now a hint of a smile played on her lips as she took a step back and pointed her key at Lea, whispering “Heal” to summon the telltale green leaves that would settle over the break and fix it in a matter of minutes.

“Yo Sora! You here to train or watch?” he shouted across the yard, rubbing the tingling feeling out of his healed arm.

Sora didn’t say anything, but he sat on the steps leading into the tower. His usually bright blue eyes seemed distant and unfocused, finding the ground more interesting than either of his friends and fellow trainees. Dark circles framed them, and the downward curve of his lips added ten years to the face that once seemed immune to age.

Kairi’s exuberance faded, and she dismissed her keyblade in a flash of light. She walked over to the front steps and sat next to her friend, placing her hand over his. Eventually, he raised his head and looked at her, really and truly looked at her. Her cheeks were flushed with the exertion of training, and her forehead glistened with sweat. When his eyes met hers, they softened, and he looked almost guilty. “What’s wrong, Sora?” she asked, and he immediately shook his head.

“Nothing, Kairi.” She glared at him and he laughed, albeit nervously. “Really! I’m fine. I just… I’m… not sure how to teach!” he confessed quickly. “Riku’s a natural at everything, but I have to take my time, y’know?”

While she doubted that was the whole reason, she wasn’t surprised to learn he still compared himself to his best friend. “Okay, but this isn’t school, dummy! Just show me something cool!” She stood and offered him a hand. “I’m a quick learner, promise.” 

He took her hand and pulled himself to his feet. His gaze shifted from her over to Lea and back. There wouldn’t be any way for him to get out of this now; it was two against one and if he walked away he’d be jerk of the century for sure. “Alright ‘rookies’,” he began, putting his hands behind his back and trying his best to sound intimidating. “Today, we’re learning about magic!” The two of them gave him blank stares in response, which he tried to laugh off. “Kairi! Hit me with your best shot!”

There was no need to tell her more than once; she swung her flowery blade with both hands, all her strength concentrated in that first swing. The downside of that was that it slowed her down, and Sora parried her, though she nearly broke through his guard. He maintained his defensive position while countering her attack with one of his own. His keyblade glowed with white light, a wave of white energy coursing from his blade to her body. For a second he froze, surprised at his success. When Kairi swung again, though, her blade slamming into his shoulder returned him to their sparring match. He backed away, shrugging off the dull ache where she hit him. She tried to close the gap, but found her feet would not obey. “I can’t move!” she called, trying to pry her feet off of the ground with no such luck. 

From his room in the tower, Master Riku watched the scene unfold. He was happy that Sora had resumed training, but… he wished his best friend would talk to him. They hadn’t had a real conversation since Kairi’s arrival at the tower. Riku was lucky if the brunet asked him to pass the salt at breakfast.

Lea jumped into the fray, taking over where Kairi left off. He threw his keyblade at his apparent “teacher,” charging up to cast Fira when his attack was deflected. Just as planned, the momentary distraction allowed him to burn the senior trainee while Kairi got back up and ran towards Sora, her Keyblade raised to strike.

At that point, something changed in him.

Darkness radiated from him in waves, seeping through his skin and driving her back with a combination of pure force and fear. His eyes were wide, deep cerulean flashing blood red. Only when Kairi dropped into a defensive position did the dark energy return whence it came. Sora collapsed, his vision fading to black as Kairi and Lea ran towards him.


	2. What Lurks Beneath

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's been so long since I've written Sora... I've actually spent most of my hiatus writing a mediocre Vanitas RP, so coming back to Sora in fanfic is quite the transition. Hope you enjoy!

_ “Fire,” a gravelly voice demanded. Sora looked up to see Master Xehanort, but instead of moving into a defensive position, he did as he was told. He cast Fire, the simplest spell of all, but he did it so differently--so wrong! The flame was tiny, sinking through the ribbed fabric of his glove and burning his hand. He even smelled the flesh as it withered into char and ash.  _

_ His eyes were never drawn to his hand, though. They only remained on Xehanort, despite the pain. The old Master stared at the meager flame, but Sora pulled it behind his back before it could be closely examined. “Blizzard.” _

_ Ice crystals formed around the fingertips of Sora’s other hand. His fingers quickly numbed, frost burning his hands in the same manner as flame, but he forced himself to maintain the spell. He bit his lip until it bled, desperate to keep himself from crying out. When the Master tried to examine his spell, he hid his hand behind his back again. _

_ “Thunder.” _

_ He stiffened. The knowledge of the spell was just out of reach but clear within his memory. Thunder was no more difficult than Fire or Blizzard, but his mind could no longer command his hands to create. “I can’t, Master,” he admitted. _

_ Sora knew that voice. It was his, but it wasn’t. Familiar, and yet, there were differences. This voice was slightly deeper, lifeless, devoid of any emotion but sorrow and fear. Xehanort glared down at him.  _

_ “You can’t, because you won’t learn,” he explained contemptuously, walking up to Sora, who still had his hands behind his back. “Show me your hands.” There was a split second where he hesitated, but one look at Master Xehanort’s face and he showed his damaged hands.  _

_ “Hmph. You are no better than Ventus,” Xehanort said. He didn’t even know Ventus, and yet the words felt like a knife through him. “I should have kept him. The superior apprentice, as you’ve shown me.” Scorned, he found himself shaking with… rage? Why was he so angry? The Master turned away, and opened a portal to leave the desert land. As he walked towards it, Sora felt his hatred fester; the feeling wasn’t completely foreign, but this hatred consumed him like the flame had consumed his flesh.  _

_ With a great cry, he hurled a bolt of thunder at his Master. As he watched it fly, he realized what he had done and stared at Xehanort’s back with the frail hope that he’d die--and thus be unable to punish him. _

_ The Master was swift, though, and blocked the attack with his keyblade. The cyan eye set in the teeth of the blade watched him, just as condescending as its wielder.  
_

 

* * *

 

Sora shot up in bed. His sheets were tossed about and his body was soaked in sweat. He brought his hands up to his face, inspecting them for even the slightest amount of damage. As he realized it was only a dream, his breathing slowed, though his heart still pounded against his chest.

It was only a dream, but what a dream it was. He remembered a time when he would sleep and rarely dream. Not of training, not of magic, and certainly not of being Master Xehanort’s apprentice. Sleep used to be a blissful escape from the chilling reality of what they faced, at least before the Exam. Now, every night meant a different nightmare, each more chilling than the last. He felt around for and switched on the lamp by his bed, giving his hands one last look before letting them fall to his sides. 

Four cream colored walls covered in purple crescents and gold stars stared back at him, rather than miles of rocky desert. The mint green floor was solid and smooth, almost soft, unlike the dry, cracked terrain of his dream. The alarm clock on his nightstand gave the time: half past five in the morning. Breakfast wasn’t for another three hours, but he certainly wasn’t going back to sleep. He swung his legs over the edge of the bed, and with a sigh, pushed himself off and onto his feet. A pre-breakfast snack sounded like just the thing.

He opened the door quietly, and peeked into the open room connecting his room, Kairi’s, Riku’s, and Lea’s to each other. The coast seemed clear; Lea shut his door when he was asleep, Kairi could be heard snoring through her door, and Riku, like he did, slept with the door cracked open just a smidge. He tiptoed across the room to one of two doors leading out. This particular door would take him down to the floating staircase room. Jumping to reach the kitchen was good discipline and exercise claimed Yen Sid. If anything, it was just annoying. Sora climbed over the railing and jumped as high as he could, gliding to close the distance between himself and the kitchen stairs. He grabbed onto the last step and pulled himself up onto the stairs themselves. It was exhausting, but always worth it when the pot and spoon on the door reminded him what lay behind it. 

Sora scrambled up the stairs and pushed open the door, waltzing in now that there was no need to be careful. The fridge was in his line of sight, but so was… Riku. 

“Oh, hey Riku,” he murmured, turning and going to raid the pantry instead. Dry cereal was better than frozen breakfast biscuits anyway. 

“Hey, Sora.”  The brunet looked through the cereal for something unbelievably sugary. He didn’t even like sweets, but the unopened bag of Marshmallow Matey’s hovering on the top “shelf” seemed to be calling him.  _ I haven’t had these in years,  _ he thought as he reached for the bag and pulled it down. 

“I thought you hated sweets,” Riku said from behind him. Sora jumped and dropped the bag, which simply floated away without spilling. His heart raced, both from the scare and the critical look in his best friend’s eyes. “Sorry, I didn’t mean to scare you.” Though his eyes softened, the  brunet still couldn’t meet his gaze, and focused on retrieving the cereal before it floated too high for him to reach. 

“It’s fine.” He seized the bag and brought it underneath his arm. “If you’ll just--hey!” Sora stepped back as Riku purposefully blocked his path out of the pantry, leaving him cornered with no means of escape. His pouting and sulky expression would’ve been adorable were Riku not here for serious reasons.

A brief silence overcame them, both of them too hesitant to be the first to break it. The silver-haired boy spoke when he could no longer stand the tension, too thick to breathe in. 

“Can we talk about why you’ve been acting so weird?” he blurted, hanging his head in shame. He wanted to believe his friend was fine, he sure acted fine, but… the idea of something dark festering within the brunet was an unbearable possibility. No one except Yen Sid dared to speak of it, and even then, it was in hushed whispers behind closed doors. How could anyone confront a boy like walking sunshine about the darkness in his heart? Riku wordlessly pleaded with some higher power that his suspicions were based on nothing. 

“What do you mean?” Sora asked, still not looking the new Master in the eye. 

“Kairi told me what happened at training: which was the first one you’ve showed up to in two weeks. This is also the longest conversation we’ve had, also in two weeks. If something’s wrong, just tell me.”

His voice wavered on his last few words, and finally, Sora looked up. He stared, hesitant and unsure. “I… I’m okay. Really. I just haven’t been sleeping well lately,” he admitted. It was vague, but it was the truth--hopefully it was enough. He couldn’t tell Riku the whole truth when he himself wasn’t sure what that was. “I didn’t tell you guys because we’ve got bigger fish to fry, right?” His friend nodded in reluctant agreement and stepped aside to let him pass. 

Final words of parting were caught in his throat when Sora walked by him, a familiar scent assaulting his nose and filling his lungs. His eyes went wide, and though the smell soon vanished, it had already made its presence known to him.  
  
A powerful darkness lurked in the tower, wearing Sora’s skin as its disguise.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> These first few chapters are going to be expository, setting up the stage for the real meat of the fic. I aim to be off-world and aboard gummi ships by chapter five or six. What will definitely help is reviews! Tell me what you like, what you don't, who you want to see, whose characterization seems off! Tell me everything and I will write so much faster.


	3. Adventure Awaits

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The bulk of this chapter was written in one day, but I took a few more to edit. I've been on a serious writing binge and I'm taking full advantage! I hope you enjoy this chapter--it seems that our heroes will be going off world sooner than expected.

Instead of practice, the trainees and new Master were all summoned into Yen Sid’s chamber. They trickled in one at a time, with Riku arriving early and Kairi traipsing in after him. Lea showed up late, as expected, but Sora only burst through the double doors _after_ the old wizard decided to start without him. In the end, though, their timeliness didn’t matter. All that mattered was the task he had for them; a rite of passage for Kairi and Lea, and a chance at redemption for Sora.

Yen Sid offered him a curt nod before turning to the wielders already present. “As you all know, Xehanort intends to gather thirteen seekers of darknesses to face seven guardians of light in battle. Thanks to your efforts,” he began, turning his hardened gaze to Riku, “he was unable to complete his collection of dark vessels. That will keep him at bay for now, but not for long. This is why I have called you all away from your training.” The sorcerer paused, and closed his eyes, beckoning the four of them to come closer. “Sora, Kairi, Lea!” he boomed, startling them but calling their full attention all the same. “You three will take to the worlds for two purposes. Firstly, in pursuit of this and any potential thirteenth vessel, and secondly, to find any clues as to when and where Organization XIII may return.”

“I’m guessing you don’t exactly have a checklist prepared,” Lea quipped, scratching the back of his head.

Kairi elbowed him in the ribs. “It’s not like Master Xehanort left one lying around for us to find!” she hissed. “Master Yen Sid? Won’t we need a way to get around?”

“Of course.” The wizard stood to his full, intimidating height and gestured to the crescent-shaped window behind his chair. One by one, the three apprentices came to the window and looked out over the tower grounds. There among the trees in the courtyard was what they assumed Yen Sid wanted them to see: a gummi ship. Donald and Goofy stood beside it, engaged in a one-sided argument. “You may collect your things and leave at once.”

“I don’t know…” Lea started, but whatever objection he had in mind was interrupted by Sora and Kairi’s pushing and shoving. “Hey, hey! I’m going, alright!”

They disappeared through the door and left the two Masters alone. Yen Sid returned to his seat and waited for Riku to come around to the front of the desk. He didn’t say anything, instead choosing to let silence fill the air. The younger man cleared his throat. “If you don’t need me…”

“Rest assured, Riku, you are needed. Yours is a task where the fruits of your success or failure will turn the tides of this impending battle. I am entrusting it to you, and you alone.”

That was comforting. How could he shoulder these responsibilities when the fact that he was a Master now was still sinking in? He took a deep breath and nodded.  “Understood.”

“Good. The wielders before you numbered three: Ventus, Terra, and Master Aqua.” Yen Sid raised three projections of warriors who he presumed were those he spoke of. The youngest of the three was the spitting image of Roxas, but he had never seen him before. Now, the other two… he remembered them. Not clearly, but their faces were definitely familiar. “Two of them, Ventus and Aqua, are to be part of the seven guardians, alongside those we have already gathered. You will take to the worlds as well, however, you will be in pursuit of them--and any clues as to their fate.” The projections seemed more like ghosts, now, and Riku looked away.

“What about Terra?” he asked.

With a wave of his hand, Yen Sid dismissed the projections and sighed. “Terra was the first of Xehanort’s vessels, as we have come to learn. There is no telling if that is still the case, or if he might be saved--to pursue him as we are now would be to passively hand Xehanort his victory.” For a moment, the retired Master’s stern expression faltered. “If there is anything to be done for Terra, Ventus or Aqua would know.”

“...Is there anywhere I should start?” Riku tugged at the white wrap covering his left wrist and looked back to the spot where the projections had stood as Yen Sid again waved his hand. A new projection was raised, one of a world unfamiliar to him. “I’ve never seen that world before.”

“I’m surprised. This world is the one which Mickey calls home. If you began your quest anywhere, with him, at Disney Castle would be the wisest choice.”

While he pondered his destination, Sora, Lea, and Kairi came aboard the gummi ship. “It’s definitely bigger on the inside...” Lea noted, his bright, green eyes sweeping the cockpit. It all felt like something out of a movie--spaceships weren’t something you saw everyday. “What’s this baby called?”

Sora was the happiest he’d been in weeks, and replied without missing a beat, “Highwind!”

“You named it after the raft?” Kairi had been content to ignore the boys, instead toying with the ship's controls, until she heard that familiar name. She remembered the day they picked the name, just before the Islands were swallowed by the darkness.

* * *

_“Our raft still needs a name,” Riku said, folding his arms, his aquamarine eyes sparkling in the afternoon sunlight. He stared at the ground and tapped his foot in thought. “Let’s see… how about... Highwind? What would you call it?”_

_“Me? Well, hmm...” Sora took a second to mull it over. “Excalibur!” he chirped. That playful, childish enthusiasm brought a mischievous smirk to Riku’s features._

_“Hey, how about--”_

_“The usual?”_

_“Let’s do it!” the silver-haired boy agreed. Kairi overheard the exchange and jogged across the makeshift bridge._

_With a mock pout, she called out to them, “You guys at it again? Alright, I’ll be the judge.” She pointed to a strangely-shaped tree at the opposite end of the cove, just barely visible from her perch on the bridge. “First one to that tree and back wins!”_

_Sora and Riku went over the would-be victor’s spoils. She couldn’t hear them, but something the older boy said confused the competition. Hoping to snap them back to reality, she announced she was starting their race. “Okay! On my count…  Three… Two… One… Go!”_

_“What, are you kidding?” he asked, feigning apathy though they all knew he had the strongest competitive streak known to man._

_She giggled at the sight of her two best friends scrambling over each other as they took off, full speed ahead. If she couldn’t keep up with them, she was content to watch.  
_

* * *

“Yeah, I just… it felt right! I’m totally captain now, though,” he added with a small smile. The control board flickered beneath her fingers, but when she touched the buttons, the ship was unresponsive.

“Okay, Captain.” She turned her head to face him. “How do we take off?”

Before he could answer her, he was cut off by obnoxious and angry quacking--Donald had finally given up on his “disagreement” with Goofy, and come aboard to harass the three of them instead. “Don’t touch anything!” the duck squawked, stamping his webbed feet on the ground. Kairi jerked her hands away from the control board, grateful that he hadn’t caught her pressing pretty much every button she could find--not that they did anything. His black pupils swept the cockpit for any sort of meddling, and when he reluctantly relaxed.

“Anyway,” Sora began, eyeing his feathered friend for another outburst. “You have to s…” He drifted off, averting his eyes at whatever thought came into his head. His cheeks flushed a subtle berry-red and he cleared his throat. “The ship runs on… smiles,” he sighed, ducking his head and hiding his face with his bangs.

Kairi grinned and cooed, “That’s so cute!” The engines revved at her amusement, the LEDs on the control board flickering with her giggles.

“Aw, Sora, don’t be embarrassed! Smile-fuel is good for the invariant!” Goofy said as he entered the cockpit and took one of the throne-like seats.

“It’s _‘environment’_ you bonehead! Good for the environment!” Donald snapped.

Lea looked increasingly uncomfortable. “You can’t be serious. Smiles?”

The pink flush crept from Sora’s cheeks to the tips of his ears, his cerulean eyes darting around the cockpit in search of some escape. “If you don’t like it, you can stay here!” yelled the mage, his voice grating to all ears save for those of Sora and Goofy--who were already used to it.

“It’s not that bad!” Sora blurted, cutting short whatever snarky reply Lea had in mind. “We haven’t even taken off yet.”

Donald waddled to the front of the cockpit, and took a seat in what clearly appeared to be the captain’s chair. He waved his hands and pulled up a map of the worlds--known and detected--on the dome above their heads.

The map placed their location as Twilight Town, meaning the closest worlds were Disney Castle and Radiant Garden. “Where are we going, Sora?”

He stiffened and realized how quickly he rushed in. In his excitement, he forgot to ask Yen Sid for a recommendation and no worlds stood out to him, at least not in a way that would serve their purpose. Like an angel, though, Kairi swooped in and saved him by pointing to a spot between Atlantica and Radiant Garden. He hadn’t seen it at first, but it was the barely-there silhouette of a world that none of them had ever been to. “How about that one?” she suggested to his other friends.

“All in favor?” he asked, sighing in relief when there were no objections. It seemed the rest of their party lacked good ideas as well.

Donald typed something into the control panel and pressed a button. Text appeared on the dome, reminding everyone to smile as the gummi shook and rose away from the Mysterious Tower.  
  
Next stop: a world unknown.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Fun fact: I hate writing Yen Sid... I have to choose between sounding like an old wizard and being coherent. It sucks. 
> 
> On another note, I'd like to mention the song that helped me write so quickly: "Fuck Up Some Commas" by Future. 
> 
> Comments? Questions? Concerns? Let me know!


End file.
